Are you curious about the laws and regulations concerning car insurance in VA?  If you are an automobile driver living in the state of Virginia, it is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with these regulations and laws.  After all, ignorance of the law is not a plea that will help you get out of a ticket or other serious trouble.  Below are some of the mandatory auto insurance laws for the state of Virginia.

In Virginia, you must pay to keep a license plate current on your vehicle.  This means you will be charged a fee annually to certify that your vehicle has the minimum requirements for insurance.  You will need to visit a tag agency and provide proof of insurance when purchasing a new decal.  If you do not currently have insurance then you must pay a fee of up to $500 for operating an uninsured motor vehicle.  This fee, otherwise known as a UMV fee, will not afford you insurance of any kind for your automobile.  It just simply permits the driver to operate an uninsured automobile at his own peril.

If you are looking for insurance, you need to be aware that the minimum requirements in the state of Virginia are $20,000 for property damage, $25,000 for death or bodily harm for one person, and $50,000 for death or bodily harm for two people.  This Virginia vehicle insurance requirement also relates to operators of antique vehicles too.  Having insurance is not the only obligation however.  You must have proof of insurance, or proof of UMV, in your vehicle at all times while driving.  Being caught driving without the proper insurance identification could cause your registration and driving privileges to be suspended.  You are required pay a statutory fee of $500 to be reinstated.  That is not all you will have to do though.

It is also mandatory that you file a SR-22, better known as a Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate, for three years with the DMV, and another reinstatement fee may be required.

Car insurance in VA is serious business.  To avoid breaking any other laws, make sure that your insurance carrier is certified to conduct business in Virginia.  The VA car insurance company you choose must underwrite all their own auto insurance policies.  It is advisable to check into the background of any insurance company you may choose to insure your vehicle.  You need to be sure that they follow the laws and regulations for car insurance in VA.

You will need to be aware of rental insurance requirements as well.   If you are in Virginia on business and need transportation, you will need to familiarize yourself with the rental requirements concerning insurance.  It is illegal, in the state of Virginia, to operate any auto that is not insured.  This also applies to rental cars.  Just keep in mind the auto insurance policies and make sure you pay for adequate coverage on any rental cars you may be driving.  It is possible that your credit card will cover this, but be sure to check with the company that issued the credit card to be positive of their coverage.  If they do not cover auto rental insurance, you may want to purchase it from the rental company.  To check direct comparable quotes for your car insurance policy in VA, enter your zip code in the field above to get quick results.

Do you live in the State of Virginia and have enough car insurance coverage to meet your needs?  Most people know they have to have car insurance and take out a policy but if you ask them they usually have no idea what their coverage amounts are.   Car insurance in VA is required by State law for most motor vehicles.  Getting car insurance in VA is easily obtained by shopping online for comparison quotes.  Nearly every state in the U.S. is required to carry some form of insurance or another.  Virginia is unique because they actually offer their residents and opt out clause which many states do not.

The Commonwealth of Virginia does require proof of auto insurance in VA before issuing a license plate, but they allow drivers to choose to instead pay a $500 fee if they wish to drive an uninsured vehicle at their own risk.  Considering the insurance coverage required in Virginia is $25,000 in case of injury or death of one other person, $50,000 if two or more people are injured or killed and $20,000 for property damage, the risk that the drivers who choose to just pay the $500 are taking is obviously a considerable one.  The drivers who choose that option receive no sort of coverage or benefit for their $500, other than being allowed to drive without insurance.

Driving without insurance is a dangerous game.  If you are involved in an accident and it is deemed to be your fault, and you have no car insurance then you could be in for some serious problems.  This is especially true if you hurt someone with them requiring a lot of medical attention or if there is a fatality involved.  Without Virginia vehicle insurance, you could be sued for every penny you have if the damages are exceptional.  That means potentially losing everything to your name. When the fee is $500 to be able to drive uninsured it seems silly to go without the insurance when $500 is a substantial amount towards the yearly premium amount.  Losing everything you own is not worth the two or three hundred dollars different it would cost you per year.

Make sure proof of VA car insurance is always kept safe in your vehicle.  If you are stopped then you need to be able to show it to the officer or serious penalties will arise.  If you do not have insurance then you had better be able to show that you paid the fee required to opt out.  The commonwealth of Virginia is not lax in their policies and they are very strict about deadline with those who break the law according.  If you question whether your insurance is enough, or if you are just looking for cheaper monthly payment amounts then enter your zip code above.  Multiple comparison rates for your area will be shown. It is always a good idea to compare shop and get the best bang for your buck that you possibly can.  Be wise and be informed to protect your interests.

Car Insurance in VA is no different that car insurance that would be required in any other state. Or is it?  As with most states there are terms that will differ, one from the other. There are laws that need to be upheld for the safety of all drivers. If you have been driving in Virginia without knowledge of these laws, you may want to familiarize yourself. It is always a good idea to be aware of laws and regulations for states that you are visiting or in which you currently reside.

The list of reasons why insurance is not required is short. It starts with non-registered nonoperational vehicles, which you would not be driving anyway, off highway vehicles, and Uninsured Motorists proof.  Those that choose not to pay for insurance must have their vehicle registered to show they opt out on VA car insurance coverage. The fee for this is $500.  Please be aware that if you choose not to insure your care and pay the fee, you are still liable for any damage incurred if you are in a car accident.  Paying the fee for an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, does not cover any damages.  It is a risk you choose to take when driving uninsured. You will also have to pay this same fee every year when your registration is due unless you have proof of insurance. Keep in mind that this fee is currently $500 but may go up at the digression of the state.  The State of Virginia recommends, in their Consumer Auto Insurance Guide, that you purchase car insurance for your protection.

There are rules and regulations that need to be followed concerning auto insurance in VA. The first thing you should do is find a reputable insurance company. Before you do this, brush up on the regulations and information concerning insurance coverage for the state of Virginia. Familiarize yourself with that amount of coverage and liability you will need. Currently the state of Virginia requires liability insurance coverage to be as follows; $20,000 for damage to property, $50,000 for two person bodily harm, and $25,000 for single bodily harm.

The lack of car insurance in Virginia comes with penalties.  Even if you are currently insured but you do not have a copy of the proof of insurance or it has lapsed, you face a possible ticket or warrant against your driving record.  Let us say you are stopped by an officer of the law, proof of insurance is one of the first things they are going to ask you to provide.  If you are caught without insurance, you face some severe penalties such as revocation and restriction of your license and vehicle registration.  You cannot get your car registered to drive again until you have provided them with a current proof of insurance.  That is not including any fines you will have to pay or fees incurred to reinstate your registration.  It can really hit the pocketbook hard.  So before you decide you do not need car insurance, think long and hard and do some research about local laws and requirements for automobiles.  It pays to be a smart shopper.  Enter your zip code above to get instant comparable quotes for your district.

Car insurance in VA is similar to many states. Specifically, the Commonwealth of Virginia requires prior to the purchase of license tags, or registration decals that the owner can prove are insured for the minimum amounts.  If insurance cannot be established at the time of purchase of license plates, or registration decals there is a provisional fee that can be paid to the (DMV).

If the vehicle is uninsured, the Department of Motor Vehicles in VA requires a five hundred dollar fee to be paid plus the cost of licensing plates or registration decals. The motor vehicle fee for the uninsured is valid for a period of 12 months and can also be prorated for shorter periods of time. This fee does not provide insurance coverage. In the event of an accident or property damage as a result of driving an uninsured motor vehicle the motorist will still retain liability for all resulting claims.

Any person(s) who falsely certify they have car insurance in VA may be and are found to be uninsured will face stiff fines, suspension of driver privileges, registration privileges. Further the fees that will be required are the uninsured motor vehicle fee of $500 dollars, a $145 dollar reinstatement fee, and the mandatory filing of proof of insurance also known as financial insurance responsibility certification (SR-22) for a period of three years. During the required three year period if car insurance in VA is canceled, Insurance companies cooperate and notify the Department of Motor Vehicles of the cancellation. This cooperation between Insurance companies and the Department of Motor vehicles (DMV) allows motor vehicles maintain the required auto insurance in VA.

The minimum coverage for car insurance in VA is bodily injury or death of one person for twenty-five thousand, bodily injury or death of two or more people fifty thousand, and property damage of twenty thousand. Bodily Injury, death, and property coverage are utilized in the case of an accident; and injury or death or property damage occurs as a result of an accident that all parties involved are able to settle in most cases resulting claims without catastrophic financial impacts that affect the quality of life for parties involved. Motorists who fail to prove they have the stated minimum coverage can be found personally liable for all resulting claims for death, injury, or damage to property.

The DMV for the Commonwealth of Virginia uses verification program for car insurance in VA. This program allows the administration of the Department of Motor Vehicles to protect the interests of motorists within the state. This program is a cooperative effort between the DMV and insurance companies, by using this system the Department of Motor Vehicles is able to detect motor vehicle owners who are not in compliance with Virginia car insurance requirements. The verification of compliance happens with two conditions. The first is when license plates or registration tags are purchased. The second verification occurs when any current car insurance in VA is canceled.  To improve your coverage or to just get a comparison quote, enter your zip code above to see what policies are available in your area.

Sometimes, you may hear people say that you don’t need car insurance in VA. But while many drivers in Virginia do not have insurance, they need it just as much as any driver in any other state does. If those drivers are in an accident, they are just as liable and may be sued for damage just like insured drivers but they have no insurance policy to pay the damages and so it must come right out of their own pockets.  So, if they are in an accident where two other people are injured and some property damage occurs, the resulting lawsuits could easily cost those drivers their savings, their vehicle, or in some cases perhaps even their home.

Of course, nobody expects to be in an accident.  The very nature of accidents is that they are unexpected and unforeseeable.  We all like to think that we drive carefully and that our vehicle is in a proper state of repair to be on the road and those other drivers will be as careful as we are.  That can seem all fine and well until the day the car ahead of you on the road has a tire blow out and goes out of control, you can’t react fast enough to avoid hitting their vehicle and one or both of your vehicles are perhaps also hit by oncoming traffic from the other direction.  No matter how careful you may be, accidents can still happen.

 If you have no auto insurance in VA and something like that happens, by the time you total up the cost for a lawyer, fines, time lost from work, repair or replacement of your own vehicle, your doctor bills, and then whatever amount you may be successfully by other drivers or property owners that are involved, it can add up to many times what a year’s worth of insurance premiums would have cost.

When you consider that the $500 fee for driving at your own risk without insurance would pay almost half of the average yearly insurance premium in Virginia, opting out on the insurance doesn’t seem like such a good deal.  The Commonwealth of Virginia is far from the most expensive place for auto insurance.  The average yearly premium there is about $1240, which is below the national average.  Even one minor accident could easily cost many times that.  It’s much better to be safe than sorry so get car insurance in VA today if you still don’t have it.

So while it is possible for drivers in Virginia to legally drive their vehicles without insurance so long as they are willing to pay $500 just for that rather questionable privilege, it may not be wise to actually do so.  Drivers in Virginia need protection in case of an accident just as much as any other driver, and for the same reasons.  When you consider that the $500 fee would cover a large part of a year’s worth of insurance premium, opting out on insurance can look a lot more like just throwing money away than saving any money in the long run.  To get a comparison of car insurance in VA policies, please enter your zip code above to find out how much money you can save.

Car Insurance in VA is a definite necessity for anyone who owns a vehicle. Car insurance, by definition is an insurance that covers against loss due to theft or traffic accidents. Not having proper insurance will get you into a lot of trouble, a lot more trouble than you would be in for a normal crash with insurance. Having insurance will also lower your costs of a repair which is always a plus since some crashes completely ruin cars and would cost thousands of dollars for repairs.

Car Insurance in Virginia has certain requirements. To purchase license tags or decals for your car, you must verify that the vehicle has at least a minimum insurance requirement or you will have to pay the driving while uninsured fee. Insurance requirements are not just needed for newer cars. They are also needed for classic vehicles. The insurance you choose must have a dealer with a license to be an insurance agency in the state of Virginia.

The minimum car insurance in Virginia require a bodily injury death of a person of 25 thousand dollars, bodily injury death of more than two people of 50 thousand dollars, and property damage of 20 thousand dollars. However, if you choose to pay the five hundred dollar uninsured motor vehicle fee, you do not receive any insurance and will drive while putting yourself at risk. This only allows you to drive your vehicle legally. As for self insurance and surety bonds, these are special insurance plans that are for business owners who operate motor vehicles for their place of business. If you need more information about this, you will need to visit the DMV office for more information and details.

The penalty for those who do not have car insurance nor have covered the uninsured penalty fee can have their driver’s license suspended.  They must also pay a five hundred dollar statutory fee, file a financial insurance responsibility certificate with the DMV for a period of years, and also pay a fee to have their license reinstated.

The DMV in Virginia closely watches insurance coverage through the IVP. Insurance providers automatically inform the DMV with electronic updates of insured information and vehicle description when they either cancel or add and write new coverage for their vehicles in Virginia.

As you can see, having car insurance in the state of Virginia is definitely an important factor in your every day driving life.

You do not want to have to pay the extra fees that go along with driving without insurance. If you are absolutely against having car insurance, at least pay the five hundred dollar uninsured motor vehicle fee so you can drive legally.  Just remember that if you are ever in an accident and you are at fault then you are responsible for paying all costs and damages yourself.  This could be detrimental to you and your family, so think on it hard before choosing to opt out on car insurance in VA.   Enter your zip code above to find out if comparison quotes can save you money.